Fate's Repetition
by annie.jo.marie
Summary: Isabella Marie Swan was always fated to be with Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. Since Edward was changed Bella has been sent back by Fate to find her other half. Each time she is sent back her subconscious retains the information she needs to find the family she is supposed to be a part of.
1. Chapter 1: Take Eight

**Fate's Repetition**

**Isabella Marie Swan was always fated to be with Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. Since Edward was changed Bella has been sent back by Fate to find her other half. Each time she is sent back her subconscious retains the information she needs to find the family she is supposed to be a part of, but when her subconscious starts leaking out into the present day, will all of the Cullen's open their lost member with open arms?**

I do not own Twilight, similarities and quotes are scattered across these pages to try and inter mingle my own ideas with the original story as much as possible before

**Chapter 1:**

**Take Eight**

**Bella's POV**

Like every night, my mind rushed through the same dreams I've always had, family that I never had, people I've never met, and as always a life that ended too young. It wasn't always my life that was too short, but the dream always seemed to go on without purpose after the death happened.

I woke up to a thick fog outside my bedroom window and realized that I was in Forks. Never being able to see the sky here I could feel the walls start to close in on me as the room got smaller and smaller. Claustrophobia was setting in.

The day was normal, well as normal as the first day at a new school can go for me. And that was when I saw them. They were sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, the farthest table away from where I was currently sitting with seven very curious strangers. They were like living carbon copies from my dreams. While I used to forget my dreams, or nightmares, depending on who was involved, I started drawing and taking notes to try and remember ever detail before it vanished.

Looking across the room I asked the girl from Spanish who they were.

"That's Edward ad Emmett Cullen, and Rosalie and Jasper Hale. The one who is left is Alice Cullen; they all live together with Dr. Cullen and his wife." She said under her breath. She continued to talk while I tried to remember each of them from my dreams. I put in some comments, interested in what she would have to say, but I was more focused on how they didn't eat, and how pale they looked compared to some of my dreams.

It wasn't until I looked at their eyes that I remembered a dream I had about a Doctor that was staying in Volterra, Italy. At the height of the renaissance I met the Doctor admiring work my mother was passing off as her dead husbands work. I saw him many times during our stay. He stayed in the castle in Volterra, his golden eyes welcoming, where all of his friends frightened me. It was on his word that I left the city after my mother disappeared.

I wondered if this Doctor Cullen was the same Doctor who tried to save my life. Unfortunately for me, I voiced my late mother's strange dream about vampires with red eyes before I left the city, and was captured and killed before I could reach my destination.

I shook off my thoughts, there was no way my friends and siblings from my dreams were real, let alone living in the small town of Forks and vampires. Anxious not to be late for my next class, I walked to class in silence with one of my new acquaintances, who considerately reminded me that her name was Angela. We had Biology II together after lunch. After the normal routine, sign the slip, awkwardly make it to my seat trying not to trip, at which I failed, I sat through the long class noticing my lab partner odd behavior.

Edward Cullen's black eyes glared down at me as he sat as far away from me as possible. The class drug on, whether it was because the day was coming to a close or because the tension rolling off the man sitting to me grasped the entire room in a vice like he clenched his fist. Waiting for his fist to loosen or the tension to lift, it never did, he continued to sit so still it looked like he wasn't breathing. _Do vampires need air?_ When the bell finally ran he was out of the door before anyone else was out of their seat.

Thankfully Coach Clapp let me sit out my first day as I tried to calm down after Biology got my head spinning. I sat watching my classmates, safe for one more day before I was thrust upon them like a weapon. I looked down to realize I had drawn Edward Cullen's face. Closing my notebook I walked to the office to drop off my slip before I could escape this living nightmare to try and figure out what was going on.

I stood in the office while Edward tried to switch out of our Biology class. Lying about how well my day went to the receptionist I fought tears back on my way home. This Edward was nothing like the Edward I knew from my dreams. I buried my feelings while I spent the evening doing homework, cooking, and eating with Charlie before going to my room to read one of my favorite novels trying to escape this world until I was forced to join it again tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2: Here comes the cold

**Chapter 2:**

**Here comes the cold**

**Bella's POV**

The rest of the week went by without incident. Edward Cullen disappeared and every day I was a little less interesting. Every night I would relive a dream about each of the now golden eyes possible vampires I went to school with.

I dreamt of Carlisle, the local religious man's only son. My father went out Vampire hunting with his father. The night my father decided to stay home was the one day Carlisle didn't return. Weeks later after another hunt my father was found drained of blood. I grew close to Carlisle's father when my own was gone and made sure he was fed and his house was clean. He treated me like I was a granddaughter until our town was torn to pieces by the very things that took our families away.

I dreamt of a Southern Gentleman, Whitlock was his name; his red eyes glowered at me as he captured my sister Charlotte, leaving me alone on the dark street in Texas. It was a time when people were disappearing everywhere, and my father beat me for even going out with my sister that night. My parents blamed me and married me off as quickly as they could so they wouldn't be reminded of the daughter they longed for. Not that I blamed them, I too blamed myself for my sisters capture. I never blamed the red eye man for taking her either, the guilt was evidence enough on his face he knew what was coming for me was worse than where he was taking my sister. I prayed every day of my short marriage that Charlotte would find the love I desired for.

I even dreamt of Ms. Platt, well I guess Mrs. Evenson then. She was my mother's best friend, she would come over when she was hurt and help my mother with me and my younger brother. I was two but I knew she was scared. Before she left our house for the last time, she was happily rubbing her growing tummy. Even as a toddler I told her I knew I would love her son someday. When she died, I cried about the love I lost and the woman who was like a second mother to me that I would never get to have again.

Each night the dreams would swirl around in my head, thinking of the family I lost in each dream. I missed Carlisle, Ms. Platt, Mr. Whitlock, and Charlotte. But more than anything I missed the Baby I never got to meet growing in Ms. Platt's belly. I don't know why, but I knew she was supposed to be my mom and he was going to be the love of my life. I woke up crying after my nightmare one night.

Unlike the dreams about Carlisle, Ms. Platt, the red eyed soldier and my sister, I was haunted by my best friend Mary and the love I lost when I died of the Spanish Influenza. I knew it wasn't real, but it felt real to me. Watching Elizabeth struggle to care for her husband and son while I faded in and out, hoping just to hold my loves hand again. I was in the hospital when my own father rushed in saying Mr. Masen died before the family could make it to the hospital. I couldn't even think about my friend Mary that died at such a young age in our home town in Mississippi without sobs knocking into me making me feel like I would implode if this continued.

Looking out my window at Forks covered in a thin sheet of white groaning as I began my day. I cringed thinking of the cold wet snow that was waiting for me to create disaster as I begrudgingly got ready.

I wondered throughout the day why I hadn't dreamt of my brother Emmy's disappearance, or my momma Vera's best friend Rosie who momma always talked about. I liked those dreams better. Shaking my head away from my dream lives I focused on making it to the cafeteria without getting hit by a flying ball of mushy snow. Sure, it was drier than rain – until it melted in your socks.

Lunch shattered the normality I thought I was building for myself when I glanced ward the table in the corner out of habit. And then I froze where i stood. There were five people at the table. Lunch ensued with a sickening pit in my stomach as I reminded myself over and over that I had done nothing wrong.

Thankfully the rain started to wash out the first snow, as I flipped up my hood and continued to walk towards building four for Biology II with a whining Mike following behind me. When I arrived microscopes were being passed out and the room quickly filled with the buzz of conversation.

Keeping my eyes away from the door, doodling idly on the last page in my notebook, I heard very clearly when the chair next to me moved. I kept my eyes glued to the skyline that was starting to fill the page on the table when his musical voice reached my ear, "Hello."

I looked up, stunned that he was speaking to me. Mr. Masen, the flawless angel from my dreams was speaking to me. I heard my name from his lips, "Bella," and knew he was talking to me, but I couldn't comprehend what he was saying. Most of my more recent dreams, I say recent, but I've dreamt them since I was a young girl, were of me being in High School or College with Mr. Masen. He stared at me; _oh he was waiting for me to say something_.

"H-how do you know my name?" I stammered.

He laughed a soft, enchanting laugh. "Oh, I think everyone knows your name. The whole tow's been waiting for you to arrive." I grimaced. I knew it was something like that.

We continued to talk throughout the class, while we did our lab. Every so often I would forget I was talking to Edward and wonder if I was indeed talking to my intended Mr. Masen from my dream life. In the more recent dream lives, in the 80s and 60s even, I noticed him, but never like this. His fingers were ice cold, like he had been stuck in a snow drift for hours before class, and an electric current ran through him to me when we touched when passing the microscope between us.

I wanted to take his hand in mine, ask him when he was turned, if he was indeed a vampire, if he was my Mr. Masen. The class ended too soon. Mike asked too many questions in gym, and I just wanted to go home. I almost hit another car on my way out of the lot, when I saw Edward laugh; I knew he couldn't be him. It was merely a dream. But his smile, it made me question that. It made me question everything.


	3. Chapter 3: Mr Ma- Cullen

**Chapter 3:**

**Mr. Ma- Cullen**

AN: Please don't forget I do not own Twilight, similarities and quotes are scattered across these pages to try and inter mingle my own ideas with the original story as much as possible. This is done on purpose, because Mrs. Myers text is so closely intertwined in my story I did not bold or quote any of her text, but all rights remain hers, with the exception of my own thought thrown in there. As this story progresses, you will see my story drift farther from the original story. Thank you and Enjoy!

**Bella's POV**

When I opened my eyes in the morning, something was different. It was the light. It was still the gray-green light of a cloudy day in the forest, but it was clearer somehow. I realized there was no fog veiling my window. I jumped up to look outside, and then groaned in horror.

A fine layer of snow covered the yard, dusted the top of my truck, and whitened the road. But that wasn't the worst part. All the rain from yesterday had frozen solid - coating the needles on the trees in fantastic, gorgeous patterns, and making the driveway a deadly ice slick.

I had enough trouble not falling down when the ground was dry; it might be safer for me to go back to bed now.

Charlie had left for work before I got downstairs. In a lot of ways, living with Charlie was like having my own place, and I found myself reveling in the aloneness instead of being lonely.

I threw down a quick bowl of cereal and some orange juice from the carton. I felt excited to go to school, and that scared me.

I knew it wasn't the stimulating learning environment I was anticipating, or seeing my new set of friends. If I was being honest with myself, I knew I was eager to get to school because I would see Edward Cullen. And that was very, very stupid.

I should be avoiding him entirely after my brainless and embarrassing babbling yesterday. And I was suspicious of him; why should he lie about his eyes? I was still frightened of the hostility I sometimes felt emanating from him, and I was still tongue-tied whenever I pictured his perfect face. I was well aware that my league and his league were spheres that did not touch. So I shouldn't be at all anxious to see him today.

It took every ounce of my concentration to make it down the icy brick driveway alive. I almost lost my balance when I finally got to the truck, but I managed to cling to the side mirror and save myself.

Clearly, today was going to be nightmarish.

Driving to school, I distracted myself from my fear of falling and my unwanted speculations about Edward Cullen by thinking about Mike and Eric, and the obvious difference in how teenage boys responded to me here. I was sure I looked exactly the same as I had in Phoenix. Maybe it was just that the boys back home had watched me pass slowly through all the awkward phases of adolescence and still thought of me that way. Perhaps it was because I was a novelty here, where novelties were few and far between. Possibly my crippling clumsiness was seen as endearing rather than pathetic, casting me as a damsel in distress.

Whatever the reason, Mike's puppy dog behavior and Eric's apparent rivalry with him were disconcerting. I wasn't sure if I didn't prefer being ignored.

My truck seemed to have no problem with the black ice that covered the roads. I drove very slowly, though, not wanting to carve a path of destruction through Main Street.

When I got out of my truck at school, I saw why I'd had so little trouble. Something silver caught my eye, and I walked to the back of the truck - carefully holding the side for support - to examine my tires. There were thin chains crisscrossed in diamond shapes around them. Charlie had gotten up who knows how early to put snow chains on my truck. My throat suddenly felt tight. I wasn't used to being taken care of, and Charlie's unspoken concern caught me by surprise.

I was standing by the back corner of the truck, struggling to fight back the sudden wave of emotion the snow chains had brought on, when I heard an odd sound. It was a high-pitched screech, and it was fast becoming painfully loud. I looked up, startled.

I saw several things simultaneously. Nothing was moving in slow motion, the way it does in the movies. Instead, the adrenaline rush seemed to make my brain work much faster, and I was able to absorb in clear detail several things at once.

Edward Cullen was standing four cars down from me, staring at me in horror. His face stood out from a sea of faces, all frozen in the same mask of shock.

But of more immediate importance was the dark blue van that was skidding, tires locked and squealing against the brakes, spinning wildly across the ice of the parking lot. It was going to hit the back corner of my truck, and I was standing between them. I didn't even have time to close my eyes.

Just before I heard the shattering crunch of the van folding around the truck bed, something hit me, hard, but not from the direction I was expecting. My head cracked against the icy blacktop, and I felt something solid and cold pinning me to the ground.

I was lying on the pavement behind the tan car I'd parked next to. But I didn't have a chance to notice anything else, because the van was still coming. It had curled gratingly around the end of the truck and, still spinning and sliding, was about to collide with me again.

A low oath made me aware that someone was with me, and the voice was impossible not to recognize. Two long, white hands shot out protectively in front of me, and the van shuddered to a stop a foot from my face, the large hands fitting providentially into a deep dent in the side of the van's body.

Then his hands moved so fast they blurred. One was suddenly gripping under the body of the van, and something was dragging me, swinging my legs around like a rag doll's, till they hit the tire of the tan car. A groaning metallic thud hurt my ears, and the van settled, glass popping, onto the asphalt - exactly where, a second ago, my legs had been.

It was absolutely silent for one long second before the screaming began. In the abrupt bedlam, I could hear more than one person shouting my name. But more clearly than all the yelling, I could hear Edward Cullen's low, frantic voice in my ear.

"Bella? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." My voice sounded strange. I tried to sit up, and realized he was holding me against the side of his body in an iron grasp.

"Be careful," he warned as I struggled. "I think you hit your head pretty hard."

I became aware of a throbbing ache centered above my left ear. "Ow," I said, surprised.

"That's what I thought." His voice, amazingly, sounded like he was suppressing laughter.

"How in the…" I trailed off, trying to clear my head, get my bearings. "How did you get over here so fast?"

"I was standing right next to you, Bella," he said, his tone serious again.

I turned to sit up, and this time he let me, releasing his hold around my waist and sliding as far from me as he could in the limited space. I looked at his concerned, innocent expression and was disoriented again by the force of his gold-colored eyes. What was I asking him?

And then they found us, a crowd of people with tears streaming down their faces, shouting at each other, shouting at us.

"Don't move," someone instructed.

"Get Tyler out of the van!" someone else shouted. There was a flurry of activity around us. I tried to get up, but Edward's cold hand pushed my shoulder down.

"Just stay put for now."

"But it's cold," I complained.

It surprised me when he chuckled under his breath. There was an edge to the sound.

"You were over there," I suddenly remembered, and his chuckle stopped short. "You were by your car."

His expression turned hard. "No, I wasn't."

"I saw you." All around us was chaos. I could hear the gruffer voices of adults arriving on the scene. But I obstinately held on to our argument; I was right, and he was going to admit it.

"Bella, I was standing with you, and I pulled you out of the way." He unleashed the full, devastating power of his eyes on me, as if trying to communicate something crucial.

"No." I set my jaw.

The gold in his eyes blazed. "Please, Bella."

"Why?" I demanded.

"Trust me," he pleaded, his soft voice overwhelming.

I could hear the sirens now. "Will you promise to explain everything to me later?"

"Fine," he snapped, abruptly exasperated.

"Fine," I repeated angrily.

The next half hour was a blur of lights, dealing with my dad and Tyler. Finally Edward came into the room with the promise to spring me from the hospital; ever since I had my Spanish Influenza dream with Mr. Masen, I can't handle long trip to the hospital, after mere minutes surrounded by the smell of antiseptic I was itching to run away.

Then a doctor walked around the corner, and my mouth fell open, Carlisle. He asked me questions while he probed my skull lightly with his oddly not frozen fingers. After a little back and forth I was free to go.

I took my chance to talk to Edward to have my suspicions confirmed. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" I said under my breath.

"Your father is waiting for you," he said through his teeth.

"I'd like to speak with you alone, if you don't mind," I pressed him. I remember speaking these words in my dreams when we were at his home for his mother birthday party. His eyes showed the slightest bit of recognition.

I wondered then if he would remember me, I always look slightly different in every dream, shorter hair, and different ages, sometimes my chest was larger, or I was taller, but my eyes always stayed the same. It was then that he looked into my eyes, another wave of recognition, he glared at me.

I ground my teeth as he refused to give me a straight answer, my anger grew, "I'm not going to tell anybody," I controlled my anger.

Surprise was evident on his face. "Then why does it matter?"

He led me into this perfectly, my anger melted away as I looked at him like I did when another man was asking my father's permission to call on me. Our mothers only allowed the meeting in hopes of getting Edward to make him realize I couldn't wait forever. "It matters to me," I stepped closer to him in the empty hall, "You will always matter to me Mr. Ma- Cullen." I closed my eyes realizing my mistake to late. If he is a vampire, he would have clearly caught that.

While he stood stunned I turned my back on him, my eyes slowly filling with moister while I went to look for Charlie. After we escaped the hospital, I learned he told Renee. After trying to calm my mother down she begged me to come home – forgetting she wasn't even home right now – but her pleas were easier to resist than I thought. I was consumed with the thoughts of my dream lives, and what them being here in his life could mean.

This was the first night I dreamed of Edward Cullen and not Edward Masen.


	4. Chapter 4:Requests Denied

**Chapter 4: **

**Requests Denied**

**Edward's POV**

The month following the accident was the hardest month of my immortal life, staying away from Bella when my curiosity was peaked. She had almost addressed me by my human last name. How would she know that?

I had kept this information to myself, with the exception of Alice, who saw our conversation. She was monitoring Bella through Jasper's gift when she could focus on Bella's future.

Alice said it was like everything is in flux, waiting on decisions Bella's future was, as she said, uncertain. This oddly caused a panic in me. Keeping a low profile and staying away from Bella were my top priority, but the look on her face when she tried to talk to me in Biology II nearly tore me apart.

I watched as Mike, Eric, and Tyler followed her around like puppies, their thoughts enraging me more than they should. Jasper could feel her sinking into depression, but her outward actions weren't giving anything away.

One human, Jessica I believe her name is, was thinking about how to ask Bella if it was alright to take Mike to the Girls' Choice Dance. I gritted my teeth thinking about Bella with anyone. I seethed as Jasper stared at me in surprise, his grip tightening involuntarily on Alice's waist. Closing my eyes I willed my emotions to calm down as Jasper aided silently.

The next day Mike was planning on how to ask Bella to the dance, a Girls' Choice Dance, the imbecile. Continuing to avoid any recognition from the frail human whose blood calls out to me, I watched through his thoughts as he asked out the woman sitting next to me.

At some point during their conversation of Bella turning him down and convincing him to take Jessica to the dance, I stared at her. The electric pulse picked up as she stared back, my curiosity and frustration must have been rolling off of me in waves as I clung to my chair, resolute that I would not drink her delectable blood dry.

All too soon Mr. Banner asked me a question, quickly I searched his mind for the answer he was almost screaming at me, answering without pause before I reluctantly looked away from her beckoning face. The rest of the hour I spent trying to find a way to approach her innocently.

Our banter quickly turned awry as I tried to warn her off me again. She thought I regretted saving her from the van. I was astonished; this is what she thought of me. I didn't believe the words that came out of her mouth, and then I got angry, "You think I regret saving your life?"

"I know you do," she snapped.

"You don't know anything," My angry was growing as I fumed in front of her.

And then she tried to run away. She tripped on her way as her books smashed to the floor; I quickly moved to help gather them together. Handing them to her, my face was store as I tried to think. Her voice was frozen like ice when she thanked me.

I watched as she dangerously and barely survived gym class, only to be headed off by Eric. I almost felt pity for him when he shuddered and his voice cracked when he proceeded to ask her to the dance. Firmly she stuck to her story about going out of town; I chuckled passing by her truck, the perfect witness to her diplomatic answer.

Waiting for my family I hear Tyler's plans start to form and took a chance to further my delight as I knew she would again turn down one of the puppies that happily followed her around. Reversing, I barred her from leaving the parking lot as Tyler moved his car behind her. His plans humored me as I waited for the onslaught of conversation to delight me.

My laggard pace frustrated the beauty behind me as Tyler went to take his futile attempt. I shook with laughter as his attempt as my family joined me, having heard their conversation themselves. Alice made her disapproved evident in her mind, as I speed away.

All night I thought of her and the death trap she called a truck. Her blank mind, almost saying my human name, and not being frightened of us was driving me insane. I needed to be with her, to know what she was thinking, to know what she knows.

I watched her getting out of her truck, dropping her keys into a puddle I flashed over to get them before she could. I leaned against her truck as casually as I could.

"How do you do that?" she asked in amazed irritation.

"Do what?" I held her keys out as I spoke.

"Appear out of thin air."

"Bella, it's not my fault if you are exceptionally unobservant."

She scowled at me, her brown eyes taking me in. Looking down she asked, "Why the traffic jam last night? I thought you were supposed to be pretending I don't exist, not irritating me to death."

"That was for Tyler's sake, not mine. I had to give him his chance." I snickered.

"You…" she gasped, her eyes spitting fire at me as I longed to touch her, the electric pulse drawing me closer.

"And I'm not pretending you don't exist," I continued trying to distract myself from her quickly moving chest, rising and falling as her heart beat picked up and her blood pulsed hotly in her veins.

"So you are trying to irritate me to death? Since Tyler's van didn't do the job?" Anger took ahold of me; all humor vanished, as my sexual desire for her pulsed along with my fury in her statement.

"Bella, you are utterly absurd," I knew my voice was cold and unrelenting.

She seemed to try to restrain herself from physically hurting me, when she finally turned to go.

"Wait," I called as she kept walking, sloshing angrily through the rain. Easily I got to her side and kept pace, while keeping my human façade in place.

"I'm sorry, that was rude," I said as we walked. She ignored me. "I'm not saying it isn't true," I continued, "but it was rude to say it, anyway."

"Why won't you leave me alone?" she grumbled nagging on her lip.

"I wanted to ask you something, but you sidetracked me," I chuckled, recovering from my angry.

"Do you have a multiple personality disorder?" she asked severely.

"You're doing it again."

She sighed, "Fine then. What do you want to ask?"

"I was wondering if, a week from Saturday - you know, the day of the spring dance -"

"Are you trying to be funny?" She interrupted me, wheeling toward me. Her face got drenched as she looked up at my expression.

I continued amused, "Will you please allow me to finish?"

She bit my lip and clasped her hands together, interlocking her fingers as I looked on waiting for her to settle before I continued.

"I heard you say you were going to Seattle that day, and I was wondering if you wanted a ride."

"What?" she clamored.

"Do you want a ride to Seattle?"

"With who?" she asked, mystified.

"Myself, obviously." I enunciated every syllable, did she not understand her own allure.

"Why?" she tried to find an explanation in her thoughts I so longed to hear.

No matter how dangerous I knew the situation was bound to be, I could not keep my distance. Isabella Swan fascinated me to my core. I needed to know more about her.

After a confusing turn of events, I told her she needed to stay away from me, but I needed to be close to her. Her confusion was clear on her face, but there was no way for me to make it plainer to her. Eventually she nodded in agreement to go to Seattle with me as she tried to calm her ferociously beating heart.

"You really should stay away from me," I ended the conversation, "I'll see you in class." I walked away taking an unnecessary breath.


	5. Chapter 5: As pale as a vampire

**Chapter 5:**

**As pale as a vampire**

**Edward's POV**

I walked into class late. The teacher didn't even bother to make a comment as everyone was surprised I was coming in late. When the room finally unfroze the teacher continued with their lesson as I searched for the angel that was haunting my every moment. I listened as Mike and Eric made plans for the weekend, when there was supposed to be a break from the rain to go to first beach.

The rest of the morning dragged on as I felt the electric current between us throughout the day, reminding me of how far away this human was from me. No matter how much I longed for her blood, her eyes captivity over me and silent mind drew me to her in another way I can't place.

At lunch I watched from a table separate from my family in hopes I could get time with her. It wasn't that I didn't want her to meet my family, but I didn't want to share her just yet, and she may not be afraid of me alone, but she may be when she is surrounded by monsters that want to have her for lunch. I frowned as she only got a bottle of lemonade from the lunch line. When Jessica said my name I smiled crookedly at her, catching her eye I motioned for her to join me with my index finger. She stared unmoving so I decided to wink.

Jessica's insulting tone did not move my cheerful mood as Bella made a remark about her helping me with Biology, inwardly laughing at the thought. As she glided to my table I took in her beauty, my prey coming to me, and I'm not talking about her blood.

"Why don't you sit with me today?" I smiled as she sat down right away. I continued to smile at her as she moved slowly, unsure where I was coming from. Her beauty unparalleled in human form, I was so entranced by her beauty I was pleasantly surprised when she spoke.

"This is different," she surprised me.

"Well…" I paused, and then the rest of the words followed in a rush. "I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly."

She stalled, "You know I don't have any idea what you mean," she said.

"I know." I smiled again, and then changed the subject. "I think your friends are angry with me for stealing you."

"They'll survive." I could hear their unpleasant thoughts.

"I may not give you back, though," I said quickly, not wanting her to go away as the electricity buzzed.

She gulped. I laughed. "You look worried."

"No," she said, but her voice broke. "Surprised, actually… what brought all this on?"

"I told you - I got tired of trying to stay away from you. So I'm giving up." I was serious, but I couldn't stop smiling.

"Giving up?" She repeated in confusion.

"Yes - giving up trying to be good. I'm just going to do what I want now, and let the chips fall where they may." I finally let the smile fall off my face to let the severity of the situation sink in, although I believe it may have been lost on her.

"You lost me again."

"I always say too much when I'm talking to you - that's one of the problems." I had given her too much information, but I didn't care right now. Right now I cared about her, everything about her: her piercing brown eyes, her enchanting smell, the way her mind stayed locked away just out of reach.

"Don't worry - I don't understand any of it," She said wryly.

"I'm counting on that."

"So, in plain English, are we friends now?"

"Friends…" I mused.

"Or not," she muttered.

I grinned again. "Well, we can try, I suppose. But I'm warning you now that I'm not a good friend for you." My warning was real, but I didn't want to scare her away. _Did I?_

"You say that a lot," she noted attempting to keep her voice even. If I wasn't a vampire I wouldn't have been able to tell.

"Yes, because you're not listening to me. I'm still waiting for you to believe it. If you're smart, you'll avoid me." _I wanted her to run from me in fear, right?_

"I think you've made your opinion on the subject of my intellect clear, too." Her eyes narrowed.

I smiled apologetically.

"So, as long as I'm being… not smart, we'll try to be friends?" She was struggling to explain her confusion.

"That sounds about right."

She looked down at her hands wrapped around the lemonade bottle, looking deep in thought. It frustrated me beyond belief that the one mind I wanted to desperately to hear was silent to me.

"What are you thinking?" I asked, the curiosity dripping from my voice.

She looked up into my eyes, her brown eyes searching for something in mine as she blurted out the truth. "I'm trying to figure out what you are."

I froze, that hit to close to home. I searched the minds around us to see if anyone heard her. Only my family was able to hear her, but I brushed their questions away, I needed to deal with this. _But how?_

I kept my voice steady, "Are you having any luck with that?"

"Not too much," she admitted.

I chuckled masking my worry. "What are your theories?"

She blushed, the blood rushing to her cheeks, showing her embarrassment and taunting my monster inside. I risked a breath and reviled in the smell. The more I was around her the more I could handle the delightfully taunting smell that was freesia and strawberries.

"Won't you tell me?" I asked, tilting my head to one side, trying to tempt this temptress with a smile.

She shook my head, "Too embarrassing."

Now I needed to know, "That's _really _frustrating, you know," I complained out loud as my siblings laughed at their table at my expense.

"No," she disagreed quickly, her eyes narrowing, "I can't _imagine _why that would be frustrating at all - just because someone refuses to tell you what they're thinking, even if all the while they're making cryptic little remarks specifically designed to keep you up at night wondering what they could possibly mean… now, why would that be frustrating?"

I grimaced, that was not what I intended. My family enjoyed this human; Rosalie even partook in my pain.

"Or better," she continued, the pent-up annoyance flowing freely now, "say that person also did a wide range of bizarre things - from saving your life under impossible circumstances one day to treating you like a pariah the next, and he never explained any of that, either, even after he promised. That, also, would be _very _non-frustrating."

"You've got a bit of a temper, don't you?" I returned to her, my thoughts traveling to the hormonal teenage boy that just realized he existed recently inside of me. She didn't even know the things she was doing to me.

"I don't like double standards." We stared at each other, unsmiling. I glanced over her shoulder Mike's thoughts screaming in my ear, and then, unexpectedly, I snickered, unable to help myself.

"What?"

"Your boyfriend seems to think I'm being unpleasant to you - he's debating whether or not to come break up our fight." I snickered again.

"I don't know who you're talking about," she said frostily. "But I'm sure you're wrong, anyway."

"I'm not. I told you, most people are easy to read."

"Except me, of course."

"Yes. Except for you." My mood shifted suddenly; my eyes trying to pierce her mind, as if that was how it worked. "I wonder why that is."

She looked away as I continued trying to probe into her mind, unscrewing her lemonade and staring at the table I began to worry about her health. Lemonade hardly nourished a human.

"Aren't you hungry?" I asked, still trying to find the voice inside her mind.

"No." she answered plainly.

"You?"

Her question was easy to brush off. "No, I'm not hungry." My family was thinking of the disgusting human food compared to the animals we hunted.

"Can you do me a favor?" she asked after a second of hesitation.

I was suddenly wary. "That depends on what you want."

"It's not much," she tried to assure me.

I pondered what she could want to ask, opting to stay silent and let her continue.

"I just wondered… if you could warn me beforehand the next time you decide to ignore me for my own good. Just so I'm prepared." She looked at the lemonade bottle as she spoke, tracing the circle of the opening with her pinkie finger.

"That sounds fair." I was pressing my lips together to keep from laughing when she looked up.

"Thanks."

"Then can I have one answer in return?" my voice was demanding.

"One."

"Tell me _one _theory."

"Not that one."

"You didn't qualify, you just promised one answer," I reminded her.

"And you've broken promises yourself," She said back.

"Just one theory - I won't laugh."

"Yes, you will." I looked down, and then glanced up at her through my eye lashes, trying to persuade her using Alice's advice.

"Please?" I breathed, leaning toward her, using my own idea.

I knew how I affected humans, hoping this would work on her too.

"Er, what?"

"Please tell me just one little theory." My eyes locked onto hers, her heart beat erratic.

"Um, well, bitten by a radioactive spider?" she said breathy.

"That's not very creative," I scoffed at her.

"I'm sorry, that's all I've got," she was miffed.

"You're not even close," I teased, trying to ease the tension I could feel between us, along with the electric current.

"No spiders?"

"Nope."

"And no radioactivity?"

"None."

"Dang," she sighed, my eyes darting to her chest and then darting away when my sisters chides were screamed at me in their thoughts.

"Kryptonite doesn't bother me, either," I chuckled, my voice lowering trying to avoid my siblings interference.

"You're not supposed to laugh, remember?" I struggled to compose my face.

"I'll figure it out eventually," She warned me.

"I wish you wouldn't try." The severity evident in my voice.

"Because… ?"

"What if I'm not a superhero? What if I'm the bad guy?" I smiled playfully.

"Oh, I see."

"Do you?" My face was abruptly severe, afraid that I'd accidentally said too much.

"You're dangerous?" her pulse quickening as I waited for her to run.

"But not bad," she whispered, shaking my head. "No, I don't believe that you're bad."

"You're wrong." I looked down, stealing her bottle lid and then spinning it on its side between my fingers. I was waiting for her to run, to scream, to understand how bad I was for her.

Eventually she jumped to her feet, but then she said something I didn't expect, "We're going to be late."

"I'm not going to class today," I twirled her lid.

"Why not?"

"It's healthy to ditch class now and then." I smiled at her, waiting for her to run. _Why wasn't she running?_

"Well, I'm going," she said stubbornly.

"I'll see you later, then." My brain continued to try to process what just happened.

I continued to sit there until she was safely in class. When I moved I went to my car to wait out the class thinking about this girl that baffled me.

When I chanced to look for her again, I couldn't find her in class right away. Finally I looked into Mike's mind. She was on the damp sidewalk, her cheek on the freezing cement, her eyes were closed and her already pale skin was closer in complexion to that of me or my family.

"Bella?" I called from the distance trying to keep my human speed. "What's wrong - is she hurt?" I voiced when I was closer, my angry at Mike was clear.

Mike blurted out. "I think she's fainted. I don't know what happened; she didn't even stick her finger."

"Bella." I said close to her ear, "Can you hear me?"

"No," she groaned. "Go away." I chuckled.

"I was taking her to the nurse," Mike explained in a defensive tone, "but she wouldn't go any farther."

"I'll take her," I smiled "You can go back to class."

"No," Mike protested. "I'm supposed to do it."

I picked her up off of the sidewalk, ignoring Mike in the process as I made my way towards the nurse.

"Put me down!" she complained as I continued walking, her color was not improving while Mike's poked finger was around.

"Hey!" Mike called already ten paces behind us.

"You look awful," I tried to distract her, smiling down at her small gorgeous warm body as she lay against my chest.

"Put me back on the sidewalk," she moaned. Lifting her away from my chest, instantly missing the feeling, I made sure to lessen the rocking feeling that was probably not helping her situation. Supporting her just with my arms she continued to look at me.

"So you faint at the sight of blood?" I asked, humored by the thought.

She didn't answer, clamping her lips and eyes closed.

"And not even your own blood," I continued, set that I was going to distract her, and humor myself.

"Oh my," a female voice gasp.

"She fainted in Biology," I explained.

She opened her eyes when I strode past the front counter toward the nurse's door. Ms. Cope, the redheaded front office receptionist, ran ahead to hold it open. The grandmotherly nurse looked up from a novel, astonished, as I placed Bella gently on the crackly paper that covered the brown vinyl mattress on the cot. Moving quickly out of the way to stand against the wall with what was allowed of the small room.

"She's just a little faint," I reassured the startled nurse. "They're blood typing in Biology."

The nurse nodded sagely. "There's always one."

"Just lie down for a minute, honey; it'll pass."

"I know," she sighed.

"Does this happen a lot?" the nurse voiced my concern.

"Sometimes," she admitted. I had to cough to hide another laugh.

"You can go back to class now," she told me.

"I'm supposed to stay with her." My voice was firm; she looked like she was going to argue, but quickly changed her mind.

"I'll go _get _you some ice for your forehead, dear," she said to Bella, and then bustled out of the room.

"You were right," she moaned, laying down fully and letting her eyes close.

"I usually am - but about what in particular this time?" I was confused.

"Ditching _is _healthy." She was fighting to make her breath even.

"You scared me for a minute there," I spoke without thinking "I thought Newton was dragging your dead body off to bury it in the woods." I tried to lighten the mood.

"Ha ha." Her color was already better.

"Honestly - I've seen corpses with better color. I was concerned that I might have to avenge your murder."

"Poor Mike. I'll bet he's mad."

"He absolutely loathes me," I said more cheerfully than intended, she always made me do things I didn't expect. My control faltered around her, and I knew I couldn't let that continue.

"You can't know that," she didn't sound convinced.

"I saw his face - I could tell." I pushed it off on observation.

"How did you see me? I thought you were ditching."

"I was in my car, listening to a CD."

"Here you go, dear." The nurse entered and laid an icepack on her forehead. "You're looking better," she added.

"I think I'm fine," she sat up, her body staying firm.

Another student was coming in; I could hear their disheveled thoughts.

"We've got another one," Ms. Cope warned.

"Here, I don't need this." Bella said.

And then Mike staggered through the door, now supporting a sallow-looking Lee Stephens, another boy in our Biology class. Bella and I drew back against the wall to give them room.

"Oh no," I smelt the blood and muttered, "Go out to the office, Bella." She didn't move looking at me baffled. "Trust me - go."

I followed closely behind her, the blood burning the back of my throat, but my need to protect her overwhelmed my need to feed.

"You actually listened to me." I was stunned. I'm not sure what stunned me more, my own actions, or the fact she listened to me.

"I smelled the blood," She spoke as she wrinkled her adorable nose. Emmett could never know I thought that.

"People can't smell blood," I argued, hiding my surprise, I never knew what Bella was going to do next.

"Well, I can - that's what makes me sick. It smells like rust… and salt."

I couldn't comprehend what she was saying, my brain was working out so many things at once, and even with my vampire capacity I still couldn't fathom it.

"What?" she asked.

"It's nothing."

I heard Mike's thoughts as he exited the nurse's office. We transferred looks, his mind drifting to Bella when his eyes wondered over to her. His impure thoughts were bating the monster inside of me.

"_You _look better," Mike accused her.

"Just keep your hand in your pocket," she warned him again, her face paling slightly at the thought. _Or could she smell him still?_

"It's not bleeding anymore," he muttered. "Are you going back to class?"

"Are you kidding? I'd just have to turn around and come back." She looked frightened by the idea.

"Yeah, I guess… So are you going this weekend? To the beach?" While he spoke, he flashed another glare toward me, as I tried to block out his screaming images of Bella in a swimming suit, so I continued to stare off into space.

"Sure, I said I was in." She spoke to him.

"We're meeting at my dad's store, at ten." Mike body language made it clear that it wasn't an open invitation.

"I'll be there," her voice held promise.

"I'll see you in Gym, then," he said, moving uncertainly toward the door.

"See you," the pictures of Mike's head filtered to how close I was standing with Bella, the thought made me happy, but you could see the disappointment on his face and body language.

"Gym," she groaned, reading into his look of despair.

"I can take care of that." I spoke softly in her ear. "Go sit down and look pale," I listened to her pulse, the vain begging me for attention.

She sat in one of the creaky folding chairs and resting her head against the wall with eyes closed.

"Ms. Cope?" I addressed the receptionist, my back to Bella as I tracked her through Ms. Copes mind.

"Yes?" She was embarrassed because she had been watching me since she reentered and thought she was caught.

"Bella has Gym next hour, and I don't think she feels well enough. Actually, I was thinking I should take her home now. Do you think you could excuse her from class?" My eyes drove my point home, concern on my face for her health, staying clear of my hormonal thoughts.

"Do you need to be excused, too, Edward?" Ms. Cope fluttered smoothly; I really did distract this woman too much.

"No, I have Mrs. Goff, she won't mind."

"Okay, it's all taken care of. You feel better, Bella," she called to her. She nodded weakly; I worried if she really was starting to turn worse again.

"Can you walk, or do you want me to carry you again?" my back to Ms. Cope I let humor show on my face to see if she was acting or not.

"I'll walk." Her stubbornness let me know it was an act.

We talked about her weekend plans as I led her to the parking lot. I was disappointed and upset to learn she was going onto wolf territory, but there was really nothing I could do about it. When she started to veer off to her truck I stopped her, grabbing a fist full of her jacket in one hand. "Where do you think you're going?"

The confusion was evident on her face. "I'm going home."

"Didn't you hear me promise to take you safely home? Do you think I'm going to let you drive in your condition?" Knowing her she would drive of the road and wrap herself around a tree, truck or no truck.

"What condition? And what about my truck?" she complained as I started our way to my Volvo.

"I'll have Alice drop it off after school." It took me a while to realize I was practically dragging this human into my car, a human whose blood called to me on a deep level, but her dying wouldn't help anyone.

"Let go!" she was insistent as I continued our way to my car. When I got her to the passenger side door she slumped against it.

"You are so _pushy_!" her voice was grumbly and made me think of what her voice would sound like when she first woke up in the morning.

"It's open," I shook my head clear and moved around to my side, informing her it was indeed unlocked.

She fumed outside of the car while I listened as she got soaked from the rain. She looked like an angry kitty, I was curious to see if she would purr for me, but thinking about her frail human body under me sobered me to the realization she was probably making herself sick. Rolling down the passenger's automatic window I called out to her, "Get in, Bella."

I saw her planning to make it back to her truck, he carelessness for her own safety infuriated me, "I'll just drag you back."

Her boots squeaked as she finally settled into the passenger seat.

I fiddled with the controls, turning the heater up and the music down. Pulling out of the parking lot I ignored her ramblings until she asked, "Clair de Lune?" her voice surprised.

"You know Debussy?" I asked back, not hiding my own surprise.

We talked about her family, my curiosity getting the better of me, she sounded like me. Like both of us were not born in this time.

"How old are you, Bella?" I know my voice sounded frustrated, but I could never figure her out. I pulled up to her house and looked at her. The rain was so heavy that she probably couldn't see the house at all. It was like the car was submerged under a river to human eyes.

"I'm seventeen," she was confused at my question.

"You don't seem seventeen."

She laughed at me.

"What?" I couldn't shake my curiosity.

"My mom always says I was born thirty-five years old and that I get more middle-aged every year." Her laughter was music to my ears, I could listen to it all day, "Well, someone has to be the adult."

"You don't seem much like a junior in high school yourself," her note hit me, so I changed the subject.

"So why did your mother marry Phil?"

She seemed surprised by my question, "My mother… she's very young for her age. I think Phil makes her feel even younger. At any rate, she's crazy about him." She shook her head.

"Do you approve?" I asked.

"Does it matter? I want her to be happy… and he is who she wants."

"That's very generous… I wonder," I paused.

"What?"

"Would she extend the same courtesy to you, do you think? No matter who your choice was?" I searched her eyes, wondering how her relationship worked. Would her mother be okay with what I wanted for her daughter?

"I-I think so," she stuttered. "But she's the parent, after all. It's a little bit different."

"No one too scary then," I teased.

She grinned in response, lighting up the car. "What do you mean by scary? Multiple facial piercings and extensive tattoos?"

"That's one definition, I suppose." Scary as in wanting to drink your blood while ravishing her frail body. My hormones were out of control. I was out of control. This is new to me and I didn't care for it. But if being out of control meant I could be close to Bella, I would endure it.

"What's your definition?" She quarried.

I ignored her question and asked her another. "Do you think that _I _could be scary?" A faint smiled started to form on my lips.

"Hmmm… I think you _could be_, if you wanted to." The honesty in her voice was shattering.

"Are you frightened of me now?" all smiles were gone now.

"No." her quick answer started my smile again.

She asked me about my family. After a short time I noticed the time and decided to avoid this conversation before I told her something I shouldn't. She was very easy to talk to._ This woman will be the end of me._

"My brother and sister, and Jasper and Rosalie for that matter, are going to be quite upset if they have to stand in the rain waiting for me."

"Oh, sorry, I guess you have to go." She hesitated.

"And you probably want your truck back before Chief Swan gets home, so you don't have to tell him about the Biology incident." I grinned at her. Her hesitation telling me her thoughts her mind protected.

"I'm sure he's already heard. There are no secrets in Forks." She sighed.

My laughter had an edge to it as I remembered something, "Have fun at the beach… good weather for sunbathing." I thought of the sun.

"Won't I see you tomorrow?"

"No. Emmett and I are starting the weekend early."

"What are you going to do?"

"We're going to be hiking in the Goat Rocks Wilderness, just south of Rainier."

"Oh, well, have fun." Her fake enthusiasm pleased me on a deep level. A smile was forcing its way onto my face.

"Will you do something for me this weekend?" My mood worried for her, as my electric pull heightened.

She nodded, her heart giving her away as it raced.

"Don't be offended, but you seem to be one of those people who just attract accidents like a magnet. So… try not to fall into the ocean or get run over or anything, all right?" I smiled crookedly.

She glared at me.

"I'll see what I can do," she jumped of the car, clearly upset, but I couldn't stop the smile from growing on my face. That angry kitty delighted me in ways I couldn't even realize yet.


	6. Chapter 6: Stories and Dreams

**AN: thanks for all of the comments, even if they are not happy ones, I really do appreciate it. I know people were unhappy with my last chapter being so close to the actually twilight chapter, unfortunately I thought it was intentional. Please keep in mind that Bella is still trying to make connections to her dreams and what is actually happening everyday in Forks. After the Port Angeles incident, I have a feeling my piece will dirastically separate from the original novels. I'm sorry if some of you felt let down or if this is not how you expected this story to go. I hope you like it enough to continue reading. Enjoy this chapter. I hope to have this posted before Port Angeles by Friday.**

**Chapter 6:**

**Stories and Dreams**

Reminder that all Twilight is still owned by Mrs. Meyer, my ideas are just extentions of the world she created. (Quotes or paraphrases are not cited, I do not profit from this work, it is purely for fun and entertainment.)

**Bella's POV**

Friday was not a good day, when Jessica wasn't badgering me about Edward, I was missing Edward. When I wasn't looking for him when I knew he wasn't there, I was hearing snide remarks from Lauren. By the end Biology I was just done, but I suffered through gym before I got to go home.

That night at dinner, Charlie seemed enthusiastic about my trip to La Push in the morning. I think he felt guilty for leaving me home alone on the weekends, but he'd spent too many years building his habits to break them now. Of course he knew the names of all the kids going, and their parents, and their great-grandparents, too, probably. He seemed to approve. I wondered if he would approve of my plan to ride to Seattle with Edward Cullen. Not that I was going to tell him.

"Dad, do you know a place called Goat Rocks or something like that? I think it's South of Mount Rainier," I asked casually.

"Yeah - why?"

I shrugged. "Some kids were talking about camping there."

"It's not a very good place for camping." He sounded surprised. "Too many bears. Most people go there during the hunting season."

"Oh," I murmured. "Maybe I got the name wrong."

I meant to sleep in, but an unusual brightness woke me. I opened my eyes to see a clear yellow light streaming through my window. I couldn't believe it. I hurried to the window to check, and sure enough, there was the sun.

It was in the wrong place in the sky, too low, and it didn't seem to be as close as it should be, but it was definitely the sun. Clouds ringed the horizon, but a large patch of blue was visible in the middle. I lingered by the window as long as I could; afraid that if I left the blue would disappear again.

The Newtons' Olympic Outfitters store was just north of town. I'd seen the store, but I'd never stopped there - not having much need for any supplies required for being outdoors over an extended period of time. In the parking lot I recognized Mike's Suburban and Tyler's Sentra. As I pulled up next to their vehicles, I could see the group standing around in front of the Suburban. Eric was there, along with two other boys I had class with; I was fairly sure their names were Ben and Conner. Jess was there, flanked by Angela and Lauren. Three other girls stood with them, including one I remembered falling over in Gym on Friday.

That one gave me a dirty look as I got out of the truck, and whispered something to Lauren. Lauren shook out her cornsilk hair and eyed me scornfully. So it was going to be one of _those _days.

At least Mike was happy to see me.

After distancing myself from Mike with the appeased Jessica we made our way to La Push. I tried to absorb as much sunlight as possible on the way there. It was breathtaking. The water was dark gray, even in the sunlight, white-capped and heaving to the gray, rocky shore. Islands rose out of the steel harbor waters with sheer cliff sides, reaching to uneven summits, and crowned with austere, soaring firs.

The beach had only a thin border of actual sand at the water's edge, after which it grew into millions of large, smooth stones that looked uniformly gray from a distance, but close up were every shade a stone could be: terra-cotta, sea green, lavender, blue gray, dull gold. The tide line was strewn with huge driftwood trees, bleached bone white in the salt waves, some piled together against the edge of the forest fringe, some lying solitary, just out of reach of the waves.

There was a brisk wind coming off the waves, cool and briny. Pelicans floated on the swells while seagulls and a lone eagle wheeled above them. The clouds still circled the sky, threatening to invade at any moment, but for now the sun shone bravely in its halo of blue sky.

We picked our way down to the beach, Mike leading the way to a ring of driftwood logs that had obviously been used for parties like ours before. There was a fire circle already in place, filled with black ashes. Eric and the boy I thought was named Ben gathered broken branches of driftwood from the drier piles against the forest edge, and soon had a teepee-shaped construction built atop the old cinders.

"Have you ever seen a driftwood fire?" Mike asked me. I was sitting on one of the bone-colored benches; the other girls clustered, gossiping excitedly, on either side of me.

Mike kneeled by the fire, lighting one of the smaller sticks with a cigarette lighter.

"No," I said as he placed the blazing twig carefully against the teepee.

"You'll like this then - watch the colors." He lit another small branch and laid it alongside the first. The flames started to lick quickly up the dry wood.

"It's blue," I said in surprise.

"The salt does it. Pretty, isn't it?" He lit one more piece, placed it where the fire hadn't yet caught, and then came to sit by me. Thankfully, Jess was on his other side. She turned to him and claimed his attention. I watched the strange blue and green flames crackle toward the sky.

After trying to avoid Lauren, going exploring with some of the group, and constantly wondering what Edward was doing, the boys were finally hungry so we turned around to return to the beach.

When we got back to First Beach, the group we'd left behind had multiplied. As we got closer we could see the shining, straight black hair and copper skin of the newcomers, teenagers from the reservation come to socialize.

The food was already being passed around, and the boys hurried to claim a share while Eric introduced us as we each entered the driftwood circle. Angela and I were the last to arrive, and, as Eric said our names, I noticed a younger boy sitting on the stones near the fire glance up at me in interest. I sat down next to Angela, and Mike brought us sandwiches and an array of sodas to choose from, while a boy who looked to be the oldest of the visitors rattled off the names of the seven others with him. All I caught was that one of the girls was also named Jessica, and the boy who noticed me was named Jacob.

Something about him made me remember one of my dream lives. But it wasn't the same as with Edward, Emmy, or Carlisle, he looked familiar but different.

Eventually our group started to divide up, my mind still trying to place Jacob and how he was connected to my dreams like the Cullen's were. A few minutes after Angela left with the hikers, Jacob sauntered over to take her place by my side. He looked fourteen, maybe fifteen, and had long, glossy black hair pulled back with a rubber band at the nape of his neck. His skin was beautiful, silky and russet-colored; his eyes were dark, set deep above the high planes of his cheekbones. He still had just a hint of childish roundness left around his chin. Altogether, a very pretty face. However, my positive opinion of his looks was damaged by the first words out of his mouth.

"You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?"

It was like the first day of school all over again.

"Bella," I sighed.

"I'm Jacob Black." He held his hand out in a friendly gesture. "You bought my dad's truck."

"Oh," I said, relieved, shaking his sleek hand. "You're Billy's son. I probably should remember you." _Black, Black, Black why does that name stick out?_

We caught up a bit from our childhood when Lauren came back and brought the Cullen's up.

"You mean Dr. Carlisle Cullen's family?" the tall, older boy asked before I could respond, much to Lauren's irritation. He was really closer to a man than a boy, and his voice was very deep.

"Yes, do you know them?" she asked condescendingly, turning halfway toward him.

"The Cullens don't come here," he said in a tone that closed the subject, ignoring her question.

This only made me try to think harder. _What am I forgetting?_

The comment side tracked me eventually, when I thought maybe Jacob could help me figure something out, I decided to try flirting to get what I wanted. I immediately felt guilty, knowing I would fail epically at this anyways, if he was even interested. But I had to try right? The confusion was driving me crazy.

I enticed him to walk down the beach with me. I tried to flatter him as we walked. He was surprisingly forth coming with information. I felt even more guilty when he mention he wasn't supposed to tell anyone or say anything, but it quickly passed by us as we sat down on a piece of driftwood for me to listen to his stories.

"Do you know any of our old stories, about where we came from - the Quileutes, I mean?" he began.

"Not really," I admitted.

"Well, there are lots of legends; some of them claiming to date back to the Flood - supposedly, the ancient Quileutes tied their canoes to the tops of the tallest trees on the mountain to survive like Noah and the ark." He smiled, to show me how little stock he put in the histories.

"Another legend claims that we descended from wolves - and that the wolves are our brothers still. It's against tribal law to kill them.

"Then there are the stories about the _cold ones_." His voice dropped a little lower.

"The cold ones?" I asked, not faking my intrigue now.

"Yes. There are stories of the cold ones as old as the wolf legends, and some much more recent. According to legend, my own great-grandfather knew some of them. He was the one who made the treaty that kept them off our land." He rolled his eyes.

His great-grandfather, my eyes sparkled as I realized both of my curiosities could be squashed.

"Your great-grandfather?" I encouraged.

"He was a tribal elder, like my father. You see, the cold ones are the natural enemies of the wolf - well, not the wolf, really, but the wolves that turn into men, like our ancestors. You would call them werewolves."

"Werewolves have enemies?"

"Only one."

I stared at him earnestly, hoping to disguise my impatience as admiration.

"So you see," Jacob continued, "the cold ones are traditionally our enemies. But this pack that came to our territory during my great-grandfather's time was different. They didn't hunt the way others of their kind did - they weren't supposed to be dangerous to the tribe. So my great-grandfather made a truce with them. If they would promise to stay off our lands, we wouldn't expose them to the pale-faces." He winked at me.

"If they weren't dangerous, then why… ?" I tried to understand, struggling not to let him see how seriously I was considering his ghost story.

"There's always a risk for humans to be around the cold ones, even if they're civilized like this clan was. You never know when they might get too hungry to resist." He deliberately worked a thick edge of menace into his tone.

"What do you mean, 'civilized'?"

"They claimed that they didn't hunt humans. They supposedly were somehow able to prey on animals instead."

I tried to keep my voice casual. "So how does it fit in with the Cullens? Are they like the cold ones your great-grandfather met?"

He must have thought the expression on my face was fear inspired by his story. He smiled, pleased, and continued. "There are more of them now; a new female and a new male, but the rest are the same. In my great-grandfather's time they already knew of the leader, Carlisle. He'd been here and gone before _your _people had even arrived." He was fighting a smile.

"And what are they?" I finally asked. "What _are _the cold ones?"

He smiled darkly.

"Blood drinkers," he replied in a chilling voice. "Your people call them vampires."

My suspicions were confirmed. I remember the pale woman that stood by Carlisle, and now I know why she always looks for familiar in my dreams, she looks just like Ms. Platt.

I flattered and bantered with Jacob, and Mike when we returned, but I couldn't get these thoughts out of my head. I closed my eyes on the way back into Forks trying to figure out what my subconscious was trying to tell me.

A chilling thought brought goose bumps back to my skin, _what if they were not trying to tell me something, but warn me?_


	7. Chapter 7: Connecting the dots

**Chapter 7: **

**Connecting the dots…**

**Bella's POV**

Jacob's story was like the pin being taken out of a hand grenade, my mind figuratively exploded once my head hit the pillow. How many dreams lives had I had so far? Eight? When in time do I remember being with the Quileute?

My mind was working overtime as I slid into unconsciousness. My best friend and I were playing in the forest, howling like the wolves of our ancestors when we saw our protectors coming closer. I smiled at my uncle; he was the second in command, his face serious as he didn't smile back. I paused, something was wrong.

I motioned to my friend that we should go. Pointing at my uncle's face, I tried to pull her back towards our homes. Shaking me off, she lay down on her belly and crawled under the bush closes to where they stood. Panicking at their stances I joined her under the bush.

Shaking, our protectors transformed into the majestic wolves we knew them to be. They seemed to be talking amongst themselves without noises for a while before the leader stiffened and turned into a fighting stance to our left. All of our protectors followed his lead and made an obtuse V formation backing up their Alpha.

Normally I stared in wondered and tried to keep up with their conversation. But in the dream I remembered being here before, so instead of focusing on their words, I focused on the vampires.

None of our protectors were in human form, but Edward translated for them. He could read their minds! My heart was racing as I worried for my protectors; the Alpha was making a treaty with them, like always. He looked just like Jacob, but larger.

The blonde angel looking vampire looked to where my heart thundered in the bushes. My friend began to slump beside me as I stared back. She saved my brother Emmy.

The bushes and my friend fell away as I clung onto a branch high up in a tree. I clung to the thick bark to my left as I watched my brother attempt to fight off the large bear in front of him. The bear had smelt us as we ate our lunch as my brother tried to comfort me. The girls in my class were making fun of me because I was short and always read books instead of playing outside.

Being sick a lot as a child, I learned to entertain myself when my brother played with the neighboring kids. Now that he was old enough not to go to school the other students picked on me without hesitation.

When my brother saw the bear he hefted me up into the tree because he knew we both couldn't out run the bear that was already upon us. The bear slashed into him over and over as I cried silently in the tree; scared to make a sound for fear that I would only enrage it more and draw it towards myself before I could form a plan to get help.

I was crying more openly now as I clung to the tree, my arms and legs getting tired quickly as I had just gotten over a chill. The blood was making me dizzy as I tried to focus on Emmy and how I could save us without killing us both when a blur of an angel appeared.

The angel killed the bear in a blur of color, rainbows emanating off of her skin. My brother was saved by one of Gods angels. I was frozen in place. Even after the angel escaped with my brother Emmy, I was stiff until I was unfrozen by the yells of my father's voice.

I hadn't been as still or as quiet as I thought I had been, sobbing loudly as I shook against the tree, my father with the help of the other towns men that were searching for my brother and me rescued me from the tree. I clung to him as I shook.

I didn't realize the angel had moved the bear away from where my brother's blood was scattered. When I could finally make words I proclaimed that a bear had attacked and an angel saved Emmy. I tried to explain beyond that, but I quickly got ill and followed my brother. I was upset that the angel didn't return for me, or to tell me if Emmy was alright. But at some point I stopped understanding what was going on, and my life faded into another.

It was then that I lived with my mother Vera. When she had shown me a picture of her best friend Rosie, I instantly knew she was the angel who saved Emmy. I craved to know more about her, instead of bed time stories normal children were read, I heard about the beautiful Rosalie Hale. Her father worked at a bank, and her family kept its social and financial standing while the rest of the neighborhood fell.

I woke with a jolt when I heard a large snore emanating from the direction of my dad's bedroom. Shaking off the clothes I was still wearing I fell back into a restless sleep quickly once I slid under the covers on my bed. The dream that greeted me wasn't quite as pleasant.

Instead of angels and loved ones, I dreamt of my friend Mary. She sat next to me on my bed a few nights before her 'death' as she explained to me what I must do.

She looked down at me with smiling eyes as my tears continued to fall. Mary always shared her visions with me. Her family thought she was the devil sent to destroy them, but I knew better, she was an angel sent by got to protect those she found worthy enough to love.

"Now Izzy, we knew this was coming." She rubbed my back with her tiny hand. Being young we were both small, but ever since she started voicing her visions to her family they started to shut her up in her room, the out of sight out of mind type of thing. If her father hadn't always been so fawned of me, I may never have gotten to say goodbye like this. "I had to Izzy, I couldn't let him die."

She pleaded with me. "I know Mary," my answer was weak. "But what am I going to do without you?"

Mary smiled down at me, "You are going to go to Chicago at the end of the month. My parents are sending me away next weekend. You are going to attend my funeral and pretend to believe I'm dead." She wiped my tears. "You are going to meet a boy who has his father's name, and you are going to love him more than life itself."

She told me about the future I was supposed to have and how we would meet again in the future. For that she was positive. "No matter what decisions are made, or how long we both live, we will meet again. I know it!"

I know I should have left it on that note when we went to bed, but I couldn't. I forced her to tell me where she was going and what it would be like there. I knew she was scared and hiding things from me, but what she told me was scary enough.

They were going to hurt her and experiment on her. Mary's beautiful long black hair was going to be cut so they could zap her mind. She looked sad, but told me that she would be okay; she would get out one day and find true love. She giggled day dreaming, well seeing in her mind, the man that she would marry someday.

I knew it was unfair of me to be so sad on our last night together, but I had to trust her. Mary Alice Brandon had never been wrong before.

When I woke for the second time, I was 5:30 in the morning, according to my red glowing alarm clock. I quickly jotted down all of my notes from my dreams and nightmares, drawing links to the people I saw in different times and the Cullens and Quileute I've met in this life.

Minor changes I attributed to their change into vampires and the fact that Jacob wasn't a wolf. I paused to wonder if Sam was a wolf already or if he was close to his change with how large he was. I tried to think of the other boys I met and if they seemed quite as large as Sam, but I couldn't remember. My dreams were mixing with reality, and I couldn't figure out what was real or what was my imagination. But one thing was for sure. I had to talk to the Cullens and Quileute if I wanted answers.

Questions ran through my mind at the speed of light: _Is Jasper the Mr. Whitlock who saved my sister? And if so, where was my sister? Would this Edward still love me, or was he too different? Or was I? Would Emmett recognize me without my honey hair and my age difference? Would Ms. Platt still look at me like I was her child too?_

I couldn't keep up I needed to know. I wrote down questions to ask them, not wanting to forget a single thing. By the time I finished I had almost completely forgotten about the protectors. Did Billy know if Jacob was going to change? How many protectors would change if vampires lived in the next town over? Certainly not all of the nation of La Push would be kept in the loop with the changing of the times, so who would know? Jacob knew the stories, but he didn't think they were real. Heck I didn't think they were real. My mind reeled all day as I thought about the possibilities of my situation.

I started and finished my Macbeth paper as my mind continued to wonder. Making dinner for Charlie and myself when he got home from fishing, adding to the lifetime supply we already had in our freezer. My mind was finally starting to slow when I reached school Monday, the sun shining as I realized that the Cullens would most likely not be here today. This note didn't calm me down any. Oddly the thought of not seeing Edward crippled me as an ache pounded in my chest.

The following day preceded the same, my mind slowly adding to the growing list of questions I had for the Cullens. The only brake in the day was when I went to the girls' bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror as I threw my hair into a ponytail. The oddly regular act had me flipping through my notebook during Biology, at the table that I was for now the sole occupant, as I settled on my notes on my friend Mary.

_What would Mary look like older and with shorter hair?_ Alice. Mary Alice. I felt stupid not making the connection earlier, anyone else would have, but not me.

Avoiding thinking about shopping alone in Seattle this weekend, I focused on the fact that Lauren wouldn't be going with us to Port Angeles as Jessica followed me home in her old white Mercury. Ditching y books and truck I left a note for Charlie as to where to find dinner and ran back out to join Jessica. Once we picked up Angela my excitement increased as we drove out of the town limits.


	8. Chapter 8: Connecting the charge

**Chapter 8:**

**Connecting the charge**

**Edward's POV**

I finished draining my second mountain lion of the day, completely full and sated before I thought of Bella's delicious scent. My thoughts were running rampant with thoughts I never thought I would think for all eternity. I wanted to drain her and protect her all in the same instant. I wanted her to accept me for who I am and run in the other direction.

I was twitching to know what she was doing at school, if Mike was too close to my Bella. _Whoa, MY Bella?_ These thoughts plagued me, only subsiding when Emmett was in my range to fill my thoughts with his longing for Rosalie. Not even bleach would clean those thoughts out of my brain, a vampire having a perfect memory. I growled at Emmett.

"Don't like what you see, stay out." Emmett grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. I knew to stay out of his mind right now. Not that I could always control it, but I distracted myself with my own thoughts, his screaming visions falling into the background.

Emmett continued to pick on me and my thoughts of Bella until early into the Saturday morning. My agitation grew as I knew Bella would be going onto Wolf Territory, where I cannot fallow. Snapping surrounding trees and throwing boulders in my frustration Emmett offered going home early, being as we had already eaten our fill.

I knew he was missing Rose and I was, _missing a human?_ Rubbing my aching chest I agreed as we raced back home. Knowing I had missed her waking up, I decided to talk to Carlisle about my thoughts containing Bella and our conversation the other day. It scared me and thrilled me that she may know what I am.

I was more surprised than I should have been when I saw Carlisle waiting for me in his office when I got home with a bouncing Alice, guarded by the strategizing Jasper. I tried to relax, but he still guarded her, I tried to see what she was seeing, but she was blocking me. _Spice Girls_, I shivered. "Alice?"

"You will know soon enough Edward," Alice kept bouncing, "Ask him! Ask him! Ask him!"

I had planned an entire conversation with Carlisle out in my head, and now I didn't know what to do. Carlisle was waiting patiently, but Alice frowned, stopped bouncing and decided to take the lead.

"Edward wants to know how it is possible for a human to know his human last name." Alice said to Carlisle before redirecting back to me, "Really that's how you want to start this conversation?" _This is going to take forever._

"How would you pre…" I got cut off by Rosalie dragging Emmett into the room, Esme followed shortly behind.

"WhatdoyoumeanAlice? Doessomeoneknowaboutus? Dowehavetomove?" She continued talking this way, almost too fast for vampires to follow.

Jasper sent out a wave of calm, only infuriating her more.

"Who is it?" Carlisle spoke, breaking off Rosalie's rant. She panicked burying her face in Emmett's chest.

Alice answered before I could open my mouth, "The girl whose blood sings to Edward." Alice was bouncing again. "Tell them about the spark!"

"Bella Swan, the chief's daughter. She almost called me Mr. Masen. I would have missed it if I was human. How is that possible?" My mind was focused on the conversation, what Bella was doing, how my chest still hurt. I rubbed the ache willing it away when Esme interrupted Carlisle thoughts on how it must be a mistake.

"What did Alice mean by a spark?" Her eyes were filled with joy. She approached Edward slowly. _How long has your chest hurt Edward?_

_Tell them Edward!_

_Spark?_

_Why are you so confused?_

_With a human? Edward you can't!_

I ignored them all and looked at Alice, "What spark?"

"Come on Edward, spark, zap, current, buzz, if you will. This pull that you feel!" She pointed to where I continued to rub my chest.

"You've met your mate." Carlisle's declaration confused me even more.

"Who is it?" Esme asked me.

"Who is who? I think I would know if I met my mate Carlisle." Carlisle paused at this.

_There haven't been any vampires in the area. _Carlisle face looked pained, as if something was just out of his reach.

_I wouldn't bet against Alice, Edward. If she says you found your mate, you found your mate and didn't even know it._

I growled at Emmett as my other family members were shouting their thoughts at me.

"Alice?" I threatened. Jasper's strategizing and his guarding Alice made since now. She was in a way standing between me and my mate, if I had found my mate.

"Carlisle, what if Edward's mate was still human?"

Rosalie's comment earlier made since. "Who is it?!" my growl would have shaken the room had our home not been built this stable, only the windows quaked at my frustration.

Everyone except for Esme, Carlisle, and Edward had figured it out. But it was Alice that made them understand, "Really Carlisle, even Aro said he has never known of a Singer living. What is the only explanation for why Bella lived?"

"We protect our mates above all else." Esme would have been crying with joy, had she been able to shed tears. Carlisle was happily hugging Esme, commenting on how his family would finally be complete.

Esme and Carlisle often had talks over the last 80 year on how I was changed to early. Having lived this long without a mate and not turn into a crazed nomad was almost unheard of.

Rubbing my chest Alice started to talk about life once she was turned; both Rose and I venomously disagreed. Rosalie yelled at me, "You cannot take her life from her Edward!"

While I shook my head in disbelief at Carlisle, "I won't take her soul Carlisle."

I ran from them then. No one followed me, understanding my need for time. I ran to the boarder of Quileute land waiting in the trees for a glimpse of her. I roared in angry that a human affected me so much. The feelings she evoked from me enraging me almost as much as when I first met her, my restraint to slaughter her along with our classmates rammed viciously into the forefront of my mind.

I did not go home that night, or the next. Watching her from the trees as she moved throughout the day and watching her by night in the tree outside her window while she slept. I listened as she slept, our distance making a difference on the ache in my chest. I wondered silently if she could feel it too.

I knew the different between humans and vampires when it came to love. Humans were easily persuaded, they fall in and out of love on a weekly basis in high school, but vampires mate for life. Surely she isn't feeling the pain I feel when we are separated. That thought aggravated and soothed me at the same time. I was just about to creep into her open window to get closer to her when Alice sent me a text.

Alice alerted me that we would not be able to go to school Monday and Tuesday because of the sun. I cursed loudly, covering my mouth as she shifted in her bed. She had said many things in her sleep, most of them not making sense. But when she spoke of an Angel, a bear who hurt her brother and a man with red eyes saving her sister, I worried. She wrote fiercely in a notebook by her bed when she woke up early at 5:30am.

While she was in the shower I ran home to change. Leaping through the window I avoided everyone, their thoughts encouraging, or discouraging in Rosalie's case, me on. Esme asked me to try to get Bella over as soon as possible, my mother already planning what she could make in the never before used kitchen. Alice was shouting her thoughts at me as she thought of her 'new best friend'. Jasper's thoughts were worried, even having a mate; he knew the pull of the Singer.

I watched over her Monday and Tuesday, only going home to change. I really noticed how clumsy she was and how she didn't blush as much. The farther away I was from her, the more she seemed to rub her chest like I rubbed mine. Tuesday I reminded myself to stay closer, only a few layer of trees back so the human eye couldn't see me, but I didn't have to cause either of us discomfort.

She smiled more when she talked to Angela. I always like her, her thoughts were pure and she normally voiced what she was thinking. Thankfully Lauren would be unable to attend their shopping trip Tuesday evening; her thoughts towards Bella were vindictive and evil. Jessica may be annoying and pushy, but Lauren was more of the push her competition in front of a bus type of girl.

Bella left her notebook at home when she grabbed a purse I had never seen with her, before she ran to join Jessica in the car. Once they grabbed Angela and were headed out of town doubled back. I was going to give them a head start anyways, having seen where they were headed, with the limited options in Port Angeles, and because human drive so slow, I really didn't want to be subjected to that.

But when I headed back towards town to get my car, I changed directions and slipped through Bella's window to look at her notebook she had left behind. I only got a few pages in when I realized how the time escaped me looking though Bella's thoughts and dreams. My chest swelled at the information as I placed the notebook back where I found it and raced to get my car.


	9. Chapter 9: Port Angeles

**Chapter 9:**

**Port Angeles **

**Edward's POV**

My mind was delirious at all the questions that Bella had in that one notebook. She knew things about our human lives; she met us when we were vampires. I didn't know why she was back, if she was the same person from those 'dream lives', as she named them, like she thought she was. If she is, what does that mean? I only looked through the first four pages, but I saw enough to know that she had met most of us before in these 'dream lives', the implication that she could have met all of us would have Alice bouncing off the walls.

It was with that thought that I arrived at the house to find Alice almost literally bouncing off the walls. Jasper was smiling completely at his mate as she made her way to me. "I need to know if I'm in that book Edward," She was shining, I say shining because glowing wouldn't quite cut it. She started to talk and express herself as she bounced some more when she became still. Jasper was immediately at her side, our other family members coming out from where they were in the house, with the exception of Carlisle who was still at work, to find out what Alice was seeing.

People. Men. No, monsters. Monsters were following my Bella. I must have looked like Alice then because I was frozen, my mind watching the images of them, _my chest growled_. They were herding MY Bella. I noticed the color in the sky and shadows against the buildings as I unfroze to look at the light outside.

In seconds I was racing towards Port Angeles in my Volvo as Alice continued to watch the monsters descend onto my mate. I knew my family would be close behind as I speed towards the human who held my life.

I roared in my Volvo as Emmett called me to say they were on their way. Esme was staying behind, making her way to the hospital to inform Carlisle and have him meet us if anything were to happen.

I quickly found Jessica and Angela as I slowed down driving onto Port Angeles main road. Jessica was hungry; I couldn't find any clues as to where Bella was in her immediate thoughts as they walked in front of the restaurant they were going to eat at. Angela was worried for Bella, they had been waiting for her for ten minutes, and they were late getting to the restaurant. Jessica suggested checking inside the restaurant again, her mind solely on food. Angela tried to give Jessica the benefit of the doubt; _maybe she slipped past us and went into the bathroom after I checked_.

I continued to drive, searching the minds of the humans that surrounded me, rolling down the passenger window to follow her sent, the sun still shining enough to expose me for what I am. I looked at the shadows comparing them to the ones in Alice's vision, knowing that we were catching up to the vision in real time within the next few minutes.

I caught her sent as the sun shifted low enough for me to crack my window, I followed it to the bookstore she must have went to, driving parallel to the ally she must have walked down when they sun was shining, I speed up catching images of Bella in the mind of one of the monsters. They had already started the herding. Another mind quickly filled with Bella, sick thoughts of her screaming in pain.

I speed more quickly, Alice and my family popping into my range. _Just get her out of their Edward, _Rosalie's thoughts screamed.

_We will take care of the _/ _Carlisle gave us a plan, they won't be able to harm anyone once we're done_

_Give her your jacket and head towards the restaurant so Angela doesn't end up calling Charlie._

I saw them now; all surrounding her, her only escape was covered by a brick wall. She looked frozen as they ascended closer. It all seemed to move in slow motion as my lights shone on them, one monster grabbed at Bella, ripping her shirt, while Bella elbowed one in the gut to her right and kneed the one who ripped her shirt. All except for one man was backing away from my lights as the car almost ran into them. The sole monster struck Bella across her face before I rammed the passenger side door into him, knocking him out of the way, commanding her into the car. She climbed into the car, holding her palm to her stuck face. Swinging the door closed behind her, I locked the doors as my Volvo flew forward.

I made it out of the town limits before I heard what my siblings were doing. Alice had a wig on, her shirt ripped, as Jasper and Emmett incapacitated the monsters. Rosalie was sobbing while calling the Port Angeles authorities, all except for one man had something on their records, and two were out on parole. The other was littered with warrants for his arrest, as my family fixed the scene perfectly.

Rosalie was against the plan, hoping to be able to end them. But Carlisle made a point of telling them we didn't want to attention from the Volturi, which changed most of their minds. Rosalie was still hoping to punish them in her own way. I couldn't agree with her more. I pulled over remembering Alice's instructions, trying to calm down before I needed to head back towards where those monsters were.

"Edward?" Bella's body was turned in her seat, seat belt undone; her eyes were full of worry, maybe even fear.

I released my hold on the wheel, the plastic was starting to crack under my grip, I made a great effort to relax my body as I turned to her as she said my name again. _How long has she been trying to get my attention?_

"Edward, are you alright?" She reached her hand towards me, but drew it back at the last moment thinking better of it.

"Am I alright?" I scoffed, laughing at her question, "Are you alright?"

She paused, her brow creasing as she took a mental inventory of her body. Nodding slowly, her shoulders relaxed just the slightest.

I could see her mind racing with ideas, I frowned in frustration that her mind was closed to me. My mate. _My mate?_

"We need to call the cops." My face must have shown its surprise as she had logically thought of what to do. "I need to give them my descriptions, and I need to let Angela and Jessica know I'm alright, my dad is going to freak out..." She continued to talk as I reached over and strapped her back in, turning the car around, letting her get her thoughts out of her mind. "How did you find me? Where are we…?"

At some point she grew quite, I missed something. "What?"

"Where are we going?"

She must have finished with her thoughts. She was shivering. I turned up the heat and pulled on her sleeve to get her hands in front of the fans. "We are going to head to the restaurant to make sure your friends know you are okay. It's late and they must be worried." She nodded as I talked. Slipping off my jacket I handed it to her. "My siblings are taking care of those monsters. After they are done, we are going to go back to Forks and Carlisle would like to get a look at you to make sure everything is alright."

She nodded, but you could tell she had questions bubbling under the surface.

"When we get home you can ask your questions. Can you do that? Pretend that everything is normal until we get back in this car?" I looked at her seriously; my dead heart was climbing out of its chest. My need to hold my mate and look her over was fierce. Her scent was the only thing keeping me calm.

At her nod, I slipped out of the car and went to open her door, she finished sliding on my jacket as she climbed out, being stopped by the seat belt, before she remembered to remove it. Once she was fully standing, I steadied her wavering body, as she called out to her friends upon seeing them walking away from the restaurant.

We stepped fully onto the sidewalk, my face turned in her direction watching her for signs she was falling apart. They asked questions as to where she had been. Angela obviously still worried, even though she was right there.

"I'm sorry we already ate, I'm so sorry," Angela was very remorseful; she must be able to see the mark that monster left on her face. I stepped forward putting Bella in darkness, the lamp light now setting on me.

Jessica made a comment, "We really tried to wait, but you're so late. What happened?" She looked to me, trying to find gossip for school tomorrow.

"I'm sorry ladies, I kept her. We ran into each other at the book store, and just lost track of time." Jessica was humped, hoping for a better story, planning to ambush Bella tomorrow with questions. Angela, mind you, smiled shaming herself for thinking she saw anything on Bella's face that would be harmful; _she must have been leaning on her hand when they were talking._

"Would you mind if I gave Bella a ride home? I really should see that she eats." I looked down feeling as ashamed as the look on my face that Bella had missed a meal, "I promise she will make it home safe."

Angela looked towards Bella for her approval while Jessica quickly agreed, deciding the gossip would be great, and the sooner I was done with Bella the quicker I would move onto her. I hid my protective growl and my look of disgust with Jessica as she began to pull Angela away.

"See you tomorrow Bella," Jessica said in a sing-song voice.

"Text me when you get home okay?" Angela was still concerned but happy to know I was with her.

Bella managed a smile and a wave as I started to lead her into the restaurant.

My family let me know they were going to take a little while still. _Make sure she has some sugar in her system; we don't want her going into shock._

The warning from Rosalie surprised me; I mean I had a few medical degrees myself, but the fact that Rosalie was worried almost made my vampire-self stumble.

I ignored the crude thinking hostess and the even more disgusting thinking waitress as I eventually order Bella and I cokes. We sat in the corner booth as I waited for her to order something.


	10. Chapter 10: So You're Cold Ones then?

**Chapter 10: **

**"So. You're Cold Ones then?"**

**Bella's POV**

Edward and I sat in silence as I consumed the mushroom ravioli I ordered. About halfway through my meal I asked, "How did you find me?"

He pondered this before speaking, "I think we should wait for a less populated location before we dive into all of those questions." His smirk was strained.

I reached for his hand, that he quickly retracted, "Thank you." I kept my hand on the table, I needed his reassurance. I've always been the one to take care of everyone else, even in my dream lives, but I needed him to tell me everything would be okay. I needed his reassurance.

I had finished off the ravioli not realizing just how hungry I was. I blushed as the waitress asked if we wanted dessert, her eyes lingering on my table mate.

"Bella?" He queried.

I shook my head no, after a quick argument over the bill we left. The ride was fast, the green blurring together, as my mind started to wonder and my eyes closed.

Voices were close all around me as I heard their fast debate on what to do. I could hear Edward being chastised for letting me rest. Alice words were a blur as she leaned into Mr. Whitlock. I started to look around the room at the inhabitance. The beautiful room caught my attention, the large television, and multiple white love seats, my body being on the only sofa.

They continued to talk; almost as if they were left unknowing I was awake.

"Hello Dear," Ms. Platt sat down next to me, her voice alerting everyone else to my sate. "How are you feeling?" She brushed some hair behind my ear as she talked to me. Her eyes were different, and her swollen belly gone, but she was here.

I flung myself at her. Gasps went around the room as I held on to her; her hard flesh didn't give as I molded my body around hers.

She rubbed my back as I eased my hold.

"I texted Angela and Jessica on your phone saying that you were home safe and would talk to them tomorrow," Alice smiled coming closer, sitting on the coffee table in front of me.

"Chief Swan thinks you hit your head when you were in Port Angeles when you ran into my girls, they brought you here so I could take a look at you. We don't have much more time before we should bring you home." Carlisle informed me as well as the group of our limited time.

I nodded, they were all looking at me, and so I decided to start. "So. You're Cold Ones then? Vampires?"

I tried to hide my face behind my hair, but Ms. Platt just pushed it back behind my ear. "Yes, we are dear." She answered me, her face full of worry when I finally looked up.

"But..." Emmy began.

"You don't feed on humans." I looked towards him. "Your eyes are gold, not red." A smile grew on him. "Do any of you remember me?" I asked them all, looking from one set of eyes to another. "My eyes are the same, and my name changed slightly…. I know it's a crazy question, but," I paused trying to think of the best way to say it, "I think I know each of you."

They were all thinking, trying to access memories long forgotten, "Our human memories fade with time," Ms. Platt said.

I nodded thinking, "Well, the Angel," I closed my eyes, shaking my head laughing at myself, "Rosalie," everyone looked towards her. "I don't think we ever got the pleasure of meeting."

She came close, "Only me?"

"Well I saw you," I looked towards my brother Emmy," but you were distracted."

The Angel's eyes grew wide.

"No," I stopped her, "Nothing like that. I was up in a tree when you saved Emmy." My brother's head cocked to the side, as the Angel's face grew grim. "I call you an Angel because you saved him." I reached for her hand; she drew it away quickly before she let me hold it."

"So you only knew me as this?" she gestured to her body. "What about…"

She started to ask about her other family members, but I knew I had to stop her.

"I knew you more than once." They all seemed to pause. I could feel the crease in my forehead. The longer I was awake the more my dreams eluded me, even if I wrote them down and drew pictures, mapping out my life. It all seemed harder to believe the longer I was awake. "I was… I was Vera's daughter?" my question brought a spark to her eyes.

"But how could that be? Emmett joined us only a few years after Rosalie and Vera only had a son."

"It is harder to remember all of the facts the longer I've been awake." I explained to them shortly how it all worked. How I felt like I was here for something, but I couldn't remember what. I started to yawn again, my head throbbing where it hit the wall. Dr. Cullen looked me over and drove me home. Esme, his wife, insisted I come over again soon. That everyone should take what they learned and think about it.

I went straight to bed when I got home, while Dr. Cullen talked to Charlie down stairs. I know Charlie checked on me, but a weight kept me in place.

The rest of the week went by at a snail's pace. All of the Cullens looked hopeful, with the exception of Jasper who looked like he was in pain. By Thursday Alice found me during lunch to talk about our "plans this weekend". When I asked Edward about it in biology, he told me I really had two options, go shopping with Alice, which didn't sound bad, but the look on his face told me to be afraid, or have a sleepover with Alice and Rosalie, that Alice would be talking to my dad about it as soon as he got home.

I smiled thinking about Alice, the more I found out about her, and the more certain I was that she was Mary Alice. "I would love to come over this weekend. I think all of these questions deserve some answers." I smiled at him, as he told me Alice was jumping up and down in a Girls bathroom, having to excuse herself from class as she knew this was coming.

My face showed the question I had, "Alice sees the future." Edward said it like anything else, like the sky is blue, and the grass is green. But it was then that I was certain.

I would pull Alice up to my room before I got home and tell her all about Mary Alice, and ask her questions about her life, and how she found Mr. Whitlock. I needed to know if she ever found her family after I left, or if she knew about Charlotte, if she was still alive.

"Alice says thank you," Edward's words were happy, but his face was frustrated, "She is blocking me."

"Blocking you?" I asked the teacher was handing out our work sheets.

"Yeah, she is blocking her mind with some Hebrew proverbs."

The teacher passed us, handing us our work sheets as I leaned into him, "You read minds?" my voice was horrified. _Can you hear me? _I was freaking out.

"Yes, but I can't read yours." He ground his teeth, I sighed in relief as he grew frustrated.

**AN: Thank you for the comments and continued support. I hope you continue to enjoy this story. Hopefully this chapter was alright, I was writing it while trying to fend off a migraine. It would have been longer to encompass the weekend discussion as well, but I really need to start avoiding the light. **

**For those of you who are dedicated readers to this story I wanted to let you know if you don't already I only post when I work that day, so with the holidays coming up, my postings may get shorter. I hope to write as much as I can while I am traveling though. I will be gone the first week of January for my first trip out of the USA, but I will be back the following week. If I have enough material I may try to post while I'm gone, but we will have to wait and see. Thank you for your continued support. Happy Holidays!**


	11. Chapter 11: Dream Discoveries (Part 1)

**Chapter 11:**

**Dream Discoveries**

**AN: Just a side note, I see Alice more like Ashley Green than what is represented by the movies. She is taller than Bella (slightly) and has more of a human look to her than the rest of the Cullens. Her hair is now black and short, but in Bella's explanation of her past dream life, she will explain how Alice looked.**

**Bella's POV**

Friday I drove behind the silver Volvo with a hyper pixy beside me. She was taking so fast that everything was lost on me. I was increasingly anxious. Not about walking into a house full of vampires, but that they wouldn't want me, or wouldn't believe me.

When I entered the large white house with windows, my jaw dropped open. I felt a wave of calm settle over me, and I wondered where it came from. Esme hugged me first, sitting me on the couch between her and Carlisle as she offered me something to drink and eat.

"A water?" I smiled at her.

She rushed from the room at a speed I couldn't see, and was instantly in front of me before I could finish blinking. It took my breath away. "Sorry." Esme sat down looking like someone reprimanded her. I looked around the room to see Rose looking smug, Edward looking worried, and Carlisle looking at me concerned.

"It's fine Esme. This is your home. All of you should be able to act like you normally would." I grabbed her hand. She looked to where I was touching her, waiting for me to flinch or back away. I took a sip of the water she handed me before placing it on the coffee table in front of me. Sliding back on the couch so my back was resting on the cushions I saw them all staring at me. "So…. Where should we start?"

"Why don't we start at the beginning?"

I smiled nodding, "Okay, I guess probably met you first," I looked towards Carlisle. I told him about his human life, how I took care of his dad once we stopped searching for him. How he took me in when my father was drained.

As I was talking about the overrun vampire town, and how it was destroyed and burned to the ground one night, I saw Jasper's lips moving. They were talking to each other, probably trying to figure out what I was talking about. I told them how Mr. Cullen had me hid under the floor boards while I watched through the slits as they drained him dry and ordered the town aflame. I didn't make it out of the crawl space below the boards because Mr. Cullen's body was dropped on the door. "The smoke suffocated me first." I tried to assure Esme, but that only seemed to make her more upset.

"I'm not sure how many years later, but we met again." I smiled at Carlisle as he ran around the couch to hold his wife while she dry heaved, her tears never spilling. I continued trying to move on and lighten the mood, "In Italy-"

The entire room erupted with growls and gasps. I stopped. "What's wrong," I looked behind me to try and find the source of their angry and grief. "How about we skip that one? It really isn't that important. Great art, Carlisle saved my life by getting me out of the city, and I found out Vampires exist." I rushed though the life.

I took a deep breath and turned to Jasper. They were asking questions and making comments about Italy and Carlisle and some Kings, I rushed to the next life. "I met Mr. Whitlock during the war." I smiled at him. "I'm not sure where you ranked, but word had spread about you faster than the bodies were dropping." A little southern twang erupted from my voice. I opened my notebook I still had in my left hand and opened it to a picture of him taking my sister.

Jasper's face was strained more than usual. "Our town had yet to be hit, but we still had a curfew. My sister kept making up things she needed so we didn't have to go home soon. I knew I should have dragged her home, but I could never tell her 'No'." I looked up at Jasper, his face was confused as he glanced between me and the drawing I had a Charlotte in his arms screaming in pain. Another wavy hit me, but this time it was not of calm, but of pain. The breath whooshed out of my lungs as I grabbed my lungs with my arms trying to wrap myself together.

"Jasper!" the room echoed in growls as I tried to seal myself off from whatever this wave was. I saw the rest of them looking crippled, holding onto their other half as the emotion over took them. Like a door was slammed, the wave stopped. The rest of the room was still in pain, but Jasper looked up at me in surprise. Seconds later, they all regained their own emotions. Gasping for air they didn't need and looking frightened.

"How did you do that?" Jasper ignored their questions.

"Do what?" He looked like he wanted to come closer.

"What did she do Jazz?" Alice asked when he didn't respond.

"She… blocked me." He tilted his head.

They buzzed around some more, talking too quick for me comprehend when my stomach decided to join the conversation. I blushed red while Esme offered me food. I choose from one of her options and watched as she departed.

"Please continue Bella," Carlisle said softly, "Esme will be able to hear you, and Jasper is more prepared and will not leak out his emotions."

"Um. Okay. But what do you mean he leaked emotions?"

Jasper spoke up, explaining he too had a power. "I'm an empath." He ended, as if it were simple.

"Okay, does anyone else have any powers I should know about? Premonition," I pointed towards Alice, "Empth," I pointed to Jasper, "And mind reader," I gestured with both hands at Edward before falling against the back of the couch. "Really do you guys get any privacy?"

They all echoed nos.

The thoughts swarming my head exhausted me. "Where were we?" I looked up to see Alice looking at the picture I handed Jasper.

"Is this Charlotte, Jasper?" Alice's face was smooth, but you could tell she would have a wrinkle in her forehead from a crease the way she was looking at the picture, if she was human.

I could feel my face light up as Alice was watching Jasper nod his head in confirmation, "You know Char? Have you met her? Is she happy?"

"Whoa! Slow down pixy number two." Emmitt laughed. "We have all met Charlotte."

I thought my face was going to break from happiness as they each continued to tell me stories about Char and Peter. I could have burst with happiness; my sister was safe, living eternally with the man that she loved. Jasper looked hurt, like guilt was crushing down on him.

"What happened after you took her? I know you bit her, she was screaming, but that's all I know. You ran away." I was trying to meet his eyes.

Rosalie and Emmett excused themselves while Carlisle went to check on Esme. "Most vampires see me and know right away to fear me; I have bit marks all over my body. I suppose to the human eyes you wouldn't be able to see them." He spoke from the other side of the room but I wanted to get closer. I shifted farther up on my seat to get closer. He spoke of his pride for the South, how he joined the ranks young and worked up them quickly.

When he spoke of the three most beautiful women he ever saw, Alice glared at nothing and grew tense. "… until I met Alice of course." His voice lightened for a moment before diving back into the madness that was going on that destroyed the lives of many.

"So your job was to train newborn vampires and find humans to take to Maria to change?" I was trying to keep up, vampires, wars, and powers. Esme and Carlisle came back into the living room at the end of Jaspers story. Esme placed the plate in my hands, I had moved down to the floor in front of Jasper, so entranced by his story.

"Yes. That was my purpose for life, the reason Maria made me." His face was contorted with emotions. "So why did you bite Charlotte? Weren't you supposed to take her to Maria?"

I heard Carlisle say something about my observation skills.

"I think we are getting off topic. We can talk about bonds and mates another time." Esme smiled at me.

"You never answered my question though, what happened after you took Char?" I held the food close to my face ready to eat, but waiting for him to say anything.

My stomach sounded. "Eat," Edward instructed with no room for argument.

I started to take small bites, waiting for Jasper to continue, hiding behind the curtain that was my hair. When I looked up, my plate half-finished, I saw Alice comforting Jasper. "I don't think I'm reincarnated or anything like that." I stated plainly trying to make Jasper meet my eyes. "I don't know why I have these dreams, or know all of these things about you all, but I feel like I'm supposed to be here, with this family."

He looked up at me finally; I could still see the guilt in his eyes. "You know you saved her." I broke eye contact first, staring at the plate of food still in my hands, as I pushed around the remaining now cold food. "She was supposed to be married to an awful man. Our parents didn't give her a choice. But even if he was awful, she was grateful she was getting away from our parents." I looked up to see them all staring at me. "You saved her from both fates. She thought she was escaping our parents to a less evil, but he was worse. You saved her from that."

The room was silent as I composed myself. Esme took my dish away and returned quickly, sitting on the couch next so her husband again. "So you don't think you were actually these people?" Rosalie asked in a bored resentful way.

"No. Not really. It's kind of confusing, but I guess I have to believe I'm not these people. The time lines don't match up; I would have had to be more than one person at the same time. But besides all of that, it would hurt too much to think of how much I lost if I lived all of those lives." Esme's marble hand started to rub circles on my back as I relaxed back against the couch. I realized I was still on the floor and moved to sit beside her.

I could see Alice start to bounce up and down as I started to try to figure out how to ask her or tell her who I thought she was. "Are you- Did you-, I mean," I sighed my brown furrowed as she stopped bouncing.

"I don't remember my human life Bella," She was at my side in under a moment. I tensed as the wind blew, but didn't shy away from her, "Please tell me what you know."

"You look so different." I smiled at her, "You're still beautiful." She reached for my hand before I could reach for hers.

"What was my name? What did I look like?" Alice was smiling at me, but it slowly slipped when my smile started to fall away.

She was so similar, but there was so much I didn't know about her life after I left. "I moved away before you 'died'." I did the finger quotes, as I felt my forehead crease.

"What do you mean 'died'?" Jasper asked, clearly worried about Alice.

"Her," I looked back you Alice, "Your parents sent you away because of you visions." I felt her brush away a tear before I even knew it feel.

"She had visions while she was human?" Carlisle was in awe.

"You saved your father and sister's lives." I smiled at her, "You saved my parents lives." My grip tightened on her hand.

"I had a sister?" Alice was smiling, but my tears kept falling.

"Mary Alice Brandon was the best big sister Cynthia could ever ask for. She was a wreak when you were taken away. She would always defend you when people called you a witch. I moved to town after you warned your friend about her demise, and she shunned you. She didn't listen to you and ended up dead. Cynthia thought you were an angel."

I shook my head, clearing my thought away from the negative. Looking up at her face, I saw all of the differences, "It looks like you got over your hair," I smiled at her when she frowned.

"What about my hair?" Her voice was defensive.

"You cried when you had a vision they had to cut it." I giggled at her, "I could never imagine you bald."

"Bald! Alice bald!" Emmy was laughing so hard I felt the floor shake. Rosalie stopped him with a slap up against his head.

Alice's and Rosalie's face were in a frozen state of horror. "Why? Why would they do that?"

She was looking between me and Carlisle when I shrugged he answered, "They were probably worried about a Typhoid outbreak if you were at a hospital."

All amusement left my face, "They sent you to a mental institution. You lied and tried to comfort me, but I knew you were scared. I could always see right through your lies by one look in your blue eyes."

"Blue?" Jasper looked at Alice's face, trying to picture her with blue eyes. "What kind of blue?"

I bit my bottom lip and reached for the notebook he set back down on the coffee table between us. I flipped until I found the picture I wanted before showing the room what I remember as a younger Mary Alice at our last sleep over. "Her brown hair was a deep brown, almost black," I looked up to Alice, "Not as dark as it is now. "It came down to her mid back and her eyes …" I looked down to the picture, I could never get them right, "They were a combination between the blue sky on a cloudless day and the Caribbean sea blue." I stalled looking back up, realizing I must look like I had a crush on my best friend. Thinking about a way to recover, I thought about moving on and quickly came to a decision. "Alice led me to Edward."

Everyone started to ask questions then while Edward stayed at the far side of the room looking right at me, his gaze was intense. I felt the electricity buzz in the air as he took a step closer. My heart started hammering in my chest, as I felt Jasper attempt to calm me.

I swallowed as I answered most of their questions in one statement, "Alice sent me to Chicago to find the love of my life. I found him, but someone's decision must have changed Alice's prediction."

"You know how my power works?" Alice smiled.

I giggled, "Well I had to try to find a way to keep you from finding out all of your Christmas and Birthday presents." I laughed some more as a yawn squeaked its way through. I tried to cover it but I didn't have that much luck.

They started talking very quickly to each other at pace I couldn't follow easily on where I should sleep. I started to yawn again, covering my mouth with my hand as I dragged my knees up to my chest hugging them as I rested my head against them. My eyes started to flutter close. I didn't realizes at first that I was moving, but when I felt my cheek against something cold, I knew I had fallen asleep. I tried to wake up and continue but I just couldn't.


End file.
